When coal was king...... (PAH)

Dave Yates (PAH)

Today I stood in awe of the Dead Men. In front of me were two antique 1904 coal-fired steam boilers (one converted to oil, the other stands waiting for its next shovel of coal), tall as a NY City skyscraper, wonderful antique controls hanging attached as if time has stopped marching forward & simply awaiting the ministrations of the long dead firemen who tended this hell-hole.

I was there to survey the 10" fire line, not the boilers. But, we had a several hour-long history talk discussing the coal boilers and the side-rail train track tunnel running through the factory complex where rail cars full of coal used to be parked in order to drop their load directly into the boiler room's coal chute. Today, there's a 6,000 gallon underground oil tank instead. The rail spur long dead, the coal shute long abandoned. Yet, the echoes of the Dead Men echoed throughout that antique sweat-shop and adjoining tunnels where steam was converted to belt-driven pulleys to manufacture cars at the turn of the last century. At one time in the early 1900's, York was the Detroit of the US and this factory was the pinnacle of that success. The depression of 29 altered that and Detroit emerged as the winner.

If I get back (depends upon our bid), I'll take some pics.

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Christian Egli

The best museums

Touring a plant like that beats visiting museums any time.

I wouldn't be too depressed, at least your boilers are still standing and, better yet, still running.

Thanks for the nice description

Christian Egli

Dean_7

museums

Ever see the original Ford Motor Company Rouge complex when raw materials went in one end and finished cars came out the other? Complete with docking basins for the lake freighters that brought the iron ore and coal.

BillW@honeywell

Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania...

The East Broad Top railroad literally closed its doors on a Friday in 1950, and never re-opened. It is still like it was then, a time capsule. They operate several 3-foot gauge steam locomotives for tourists, but the shops are what I find facinating. They built everything there, including casting locomotive wheels. The shop machines, with all their parts, are still there, wating for someone to use them. A Corliss stationary steam engine, supplied with steam by a classic coal fired bricked-in Scotch Marine boiler, drove ceiling-mounted line shafts, and 12" wide leather belts brought power to lathes, milling machines, drill presses, rollers, air compressors and all sorts of other good stuff. The shops aren't always open, but they have tours that usually are a part of their annual Railfan Days in October. If you happen to be in the area, stop by and visit a little-known national treasure.

jim walls_3

Coal Fired boilers

> The East Broad Top railroad literally closed its

> doors on a Friday in 1950, and never re-opened.

> It is still like it was then, a time capsule.

> They operate several 3-foot gauge steam

> locomotives for tourists, but the shops are what

> I find facinating. They built everything there,

> including casting locomotive wheels. The shop

> machines, with all their parts, are still there,

> wating for someone to use them. A Corliss

> stationary steam engine, supplied with steam by a

> classic coal fired bricked-in Scotch Marine

> boiler, drove ceiling-mounted line shafts, and

> 12" wide leather belts brought power to lathes,

> milling machines, drill presses, rollers, air

> compressors and all sorts of other good stuff.

> The shops aren't always open, but they have tours

> that usually are a part of their annual Railfan

> Days in October. If you happen to be in the area,

> stop by and visit a little-known national

> treasure.



Our Courthouse to this day is operating on 2 coal fed, steam boilers, installed in 1902. There has been talk of converting the heating system & leaving the boilers in place in the powerhouse & turning it into a museum. A picture hangs in one of the commissioner's offices that shows the boilers arriving on horse drawn wagons during the construction.So,,,,,, we have dead men & dead horses,,,, hey they worked hard to.

jim walls_3

Coal Fired boilers

> The East Broad Top railroad literally closed its

> doors on a Friday in 1950, and never re-opened.

> It is still like it was then, a time capsule.

> They operate several 3-foot gauge steam

> locomotives for tourists, but the shops are what

> I find facinating. They built everything there,

> including casting locomotive wheels. The shop

> machines, with all their parts, are still there,

> wating for someone to use them. A Corliss

> stationary steam engine, supplied with steam by a

> classic coal fired bricked-in Scotch Marine

> boiler, drove ceiling-mounted line shafts, and

> 12" wide leather belts brought power to lathes,

> milling machines, drill presses, rollers, air

> compressors and all sorts of other good stuff.

> The shops aren't always open, but they have tours

> that usually are a part of their annual Railfan

> Days in October. If you happen to be in the area,

> stop by and visit a little-known national

> treasure.

jim walls_3

Coal Fired boilers

Our courthouse to this day operates on 2 coal fired steam boilers, installed in 1902. They currently only supply heat to a one pipe steam system, but originally also provided power to generate electricity. There has been talk of a renovation, with leaving the boilers as is in the powerhouse & making it a museum. However, with the difference in the cost of coal & other fuels, this system may run for a few more years. A picture hangs in one of the commisioners' offices showing the boilers arriving on horse drawn wagons during construction.
So,,,,,,,,we have dead men & dead horses,,,,,hey, they worked hard to.

jim walls_3

Disney World

I was there last summer, one of the highlights of the trip was waiting in line for the Tower of Terror ride in the make believe boiler room,,,,,,,,,even though it was not real,,,,,,,,,,those imagineers did a great job!
And I will say it for all of you who may be thinking it,,,,,,how sick is that,,,,,,,to go to the worlds largest playground and get a thrill from a basement,,,,

Dave Yates (PAH)

Doc, Frank & Apprentice

Here's our dead horse "Doc". Pic is from 1910 and was taken a block away from our shop. Doc's stable was just a few yards distant - up the side alley just behind the wagon. Frank Behler in the derby hat with an apprentice. Doc hauled many a steam boiler.

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Boiler Guy

Gotta love

those old time capsules! To bad so many of them just literally evaporated to make way for "progress".

HODale

Fascinating...

As a recent immigrant to the York area I'm fascinated by the area's history. According to one source I found on the web there were once 16 automobile manufacturers here! The only one I could find any reference to was the Pullman Motor Car Company (and its predecessors). Who's factory were you in... where is it, and what's it being used for today if I might ask.

Dave Yates (PAH)

Hay Street 600 & 700 block

Old industrial complex that was the original York Carriage Works. We were the Detroit of the East.

One event that altered the climate quite dramatically was a huge steam boiler explosion. It remains one of the largest commercial accidents in York's history. The plant was shut down for maintenance. An out of town contractor had been working on the beast and was in the process of re-starting the boiler when she blew up. Aside from those killed, boiler sections and pieces flew more than six blocks distant.

The owner indicated we've got the work today, so I'll be able to get some pictures of the boilers. We'll be exposing and altering 10" diameter underground fire lines that were installed in 1904!

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jim walls_3

10\" fire line

Be careful Dave, those wooden pipes can be a bear to attach to :-)

Tony Conner_2

This Is Amazing...

...because I've only got ONE of these old magazines, and I've had it for a couple of years. It's been sitting out for 2 weeks, because I was going to scan some old ads and pictures out of it. I hadn't got around to it.

The attachments are from "POWER AND THE ENGINEER", August 25, 1908 - the story & pictures of the event.

HODale

Congrats on landing the job... that's cool! Looking forward to seeing some pics. Maybe you'll send Ben over there and I'll get a first-hand account :-)

jackchips_2

Add my congratulations

and I'll also look forward to the pictures.

By the way Dave, how's that 18 year olds music career going?

Dave Yates (PAH)

Ben last seen

mixing concrete to cover a coupling in an 8" fire line this afternoon. The frigid weather held off just long enough for the DCDA installation, for tomorrow we freeze.

I'll keep him in mind for this upcoming job. Maybe he'll feel small standing next to these two huge boilers and the 90' tall chimney(G)!

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Dave Yates (PAH)

Tony,

> ...because I've only got ONE of these old

> magazines, and I've had it for a couple of years.

> It's been sitting out for 2 weeks, because I was

> going to scan some old ads and pictures out of

> it. I hadn't got around to it.

>

> The attachments

> are from "POWER AND THE ENGINEER", August 25,

> 1908 - the story & pictures of the event.





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Dave Yates (PAH)

wow

I've read excerpts over the years and this disaster has always been shrouded in mystery. Following the explosion, deaths and subsequent "local" investigation, the plant quietly closed and its owners were never prosecuted.

I've heard many rumors that there was a cover-up and that the accident was blamed on operator error alone.

I'm a member of our local Heritage Trust and I'd like to submit these for their archives if you don't mind. Any chance of scanning the cover?

Thanks, Dave

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Dave Yates (PAH)

in limbo

One went off to college and the other three go off in separate directions come September.

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Tony Conner_2

Magazine Cover

The magazine itself is in decent shape, but the front and back covers have come off. They're still mostly intact, but they crumble pretty easily.

Looks like this article sheds some light on an event that happened almost 100 years ago. You should definitely forward this stuff to the heritage society.

Mike McDonnell

King Coal

I was reading this topic and thought this might fit in with the subject. This is an actual auction on Ebay. This may be a business opportunity.

Best wishes

Mike


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Anthracite Deep Mine Item number: 3867364063


Starting bid: US $5,000.00

Time left: 9 days 12 hours
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Ends Jan-23-05 19:17:05 PST
Start time: Jan-13-05 19:17:05 PST
History: 0 bids
Item location: Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
United States



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Description (revised)

This mine is located in N.,E. Pa. and is on leased ground. I am listing this for friends who have no internet. If you have questions please call them direct at 570-345-4897.

This is a 747 foot deep mine located in Frailey Twp, Schuylkill Co. Pa. It is in the Skidmore Vein and presently is 5 to 6 ft thick.

Presently State and Fed permits are in place but will have to be renewed .

The first level is worked and the 2nd level was hardly worked. It produced 22 ton a day with two people working.

Equipment includes but not limited to ; generator, air compressors, water pumps,air conveyors in gangway,2 jack legs, 2 air drills,2 dump trucks (one high lift ),portable coal shaker.

This was run as a husband / wife buisness for several years. He has developed health problems and cannot continue.
Again if you have any questions please call Bob or Nancy at 570-345-4897.

This business is also listed locally so it is subject to removal from Ebay if sold elsewere.

Thanks for looking.

GEORGE!!





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Dave Yates (PAH)

Spent my day digging into history...

Tony,

Thanks for providing the push to get me off my butt. I've been wanting to dig through York's historical files for years to investigate this accident.

Turns out, your magazine article came about due to one of their columnists being within a few hundred yards of the explosion and missed being killed by a delay in casual conversation that hot August afternoon. Had he not bumped into the aquaintence, he'd have been visiting "Jumbo", the 100 horsepower boiler that exploded, and its operators.

My eyes are blurred from starring at microfilm strips most of today, but lots of articles to be read. The picture shown of the couple whose second floor was sliced through by a boiler section - she was going to do sewing in that room, but decided to cross the street and chat with a neighbor instead - chance & fate saved her life as she would have been sitting directly in its path otherwise.

Belief was the boiler made a loud hiss or groan just before exploding, as the faces of the ten killed were turned towards the boiler. Most were decapitated and those that weren't were difficult to identify due to their faces being blown away.

The company denied any wrong doing, but the evidence was very strong against them and they were found to be negligent. By that time, the stories were buried deep within the papers and it was closing time before I could find out what fines, if any, were levied against them.

Operator error may have played a role too. The make-up water came from Poor House Run was muddy and contained discharge from upstream factories as well as raw sewage! Cleaning of the boilers included chiseling hardened mud. The only way to tell water level was opening one of three petcocks and the relief valve, which landed a city block away, had to be beaten with a hammer to free up its stem. It had been set for 60 or 70 Lbs, depending upon whose story you believe and it constantly weeped steam. The only pressure gauge was on a central distribution line that wasn't connected that day.

The men who survived indicated it was not unusual for the operators to holler "LOW WATER", which meant one of the boilers was low and below water lines. Everyone would take cover as the injector pump would throw cold water into the red-hot shell, "causing an awful noise".

Unbelievable.

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